Garbage disposal unit



Nov. 10, 1959 vrr ETAL 2,912,175

GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT Filed Sept. 10, 1956 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS,

ARNOLD LEVITT,

SIDNEY D. TURIN EZEKIEL Wolf H A-rvw A Ey Nov. 10, 1959 vrr-r ETAL 2,912,175

GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT Filed Sept. 10, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EL; E1411 a N F/5.4

I i il A v I 9 I 9/ H I00 la! 100' w i l w w "I 1 W4 INVENTORS, 5 ARNOLD LEVITT,

SIDNEY D. TURIN EZEIWEL Mom #19 Arm ran/if United States Patent GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT Arnold Levitt, Brighton, and Sidney D. Turin, Newton, Mass.

Application September 10, 1956, Serial No. 609,000 2 Claims. (Cl. 241-46) The present invention relates to a portable garbage disposal unit.

One of the principal difiiculties encountered in the promotion of garbage disposal units on a commercial basis is that there is considerable expense involved in installing these units in and associated with a sink. There is further a natural reluctance of purchasers to buy a disposal unit of this type where such purchase will necessitate considerable installation work after the purchase. Consequently the majority of disposal units which have been installed to date have been installed in newly constructed houses or in kitchens which have been completely renovated and redesigned. The substantial market of home owners having kitchens which have already been constructed without such disposal units incorporated into them. is relatively untapped.

The present invention provides a portable garbage disposer which is particularly directed towards and commercially appealing to this latter-mentioned group. In this invention, there is provided a portable garbage disposer unit comprising essentially a container and supporting base with the container adapted to receive garbage and other refuse, While the base is provided with a motor source adapted to drive a macerating element contained within the container. The container is shaped and adapted to be removably supported on the base and when removed to be positioned in any convenient place; such as, for example, beside a kitchen sink. The base is adapted to be electrically connected to a suitable electrical outlet and is further adapted to operate a conventional homogenizing or blending device.

In the present invention, provision is made for supplying water to the container and draining the macerated garbage from the container when it is positioned on the base and the base is operating.

One modification of the present invention provides means for securing the container to the base by suitable locking elements which consist essentially of interlocking tube sections which are also utilized for the conduction of water to and the removal of the macerated material from the container. In another structure, the container is secured to the base by suitable locking members which retain the container in its selected position despite the violent cutting action of the blade contained within the container.

A further feature of the present invention provides a structure in which the container may be set upon a suitably designed base to prevent scratching and unnecessary drainage of the refuse from the openings in the container when the container is being used to receive garbage.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a container and suitable connections for a portable garbage disposing device, which container and suitable connections may be used in connection with a standard and conventional type 'of drive mechanism for a blender or homogenizer, whereby the blender or homogenizer base unit may serve the dual function of homogenizing various foods and the like as well as macerating garbage in this separable container.

These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional elevation view, partially in section, of the invention. 1

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken from the open end of the container illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partially in section, of a modification of the invention.

Figure 4 is a diametrical cross section of the support used in connection with the container when not positioned on the base, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the support shown in Figure 4.

Referring first to the modification shown in Figure 1, there is illustrated a base 1 and a container 2. The base l'contains within it a driving source, such as a motor, operable by electrical power supplied through the cord and plug 3. The motor is controlled for on and 01f by the switch 4, preferably located near the bottom of the base 1. This base 1 may also be supported on a plurality of legs or bosses 5. Projecting upwardly through a collar at the top of the base 1, is a rectangularly cross sectioned shaft 8, which is rotated or if desired oscillated by the drive source contained within the base 1; Also projecting upwardly from the upper surface 9 of this base 1, are four fingers 10, equally spaced around fingers, will also provide a more suitable grip with the container more fully described hereinafter. The structure of the base thus described is in substance conventional and is the same type of structure conventionally used for blending and homogenizing foods.

The container 2 is formed of continuous side walls 15, a bottom 16 and a removable top or cover 17. The top is preferably made of a transparent material, such as plastic or glass, so that the interior of the container may be observed when desired. The container itself may be made of any suitable material but is preferably made of a metal. A rotatable shaft 19 is vertically mounted on the bottom 16 and projects through it. Suitable gaskets 20 and 21 are positioned on either side of the bottom and are secured thereto by nuts 23 and 24. The lower end of the shaft 19 is provided with a rectangular recess adapted to fit snugly over the shaft 8 and interlock with it when the container 2 is positioned on the base 1. Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 19 and suitably locked thereon is a cutting blade 25 having four sections arranged at right angles to one another. These sections 26, 27, 28 and 29 are each provided with outwardly extending portions 30 and'31 parallel to one another but offset from one another in different planes. The lowermost portions 31 of blade sections 26 and 28 project outwardly in a plane lower than the sections 31 of the other two blade sections, as is illustrated in Figure 1. These lowermost portions 31 are adapted to extend just below the enclosure 32 which is formed of a wall section 33 and top v34. This wall section 33 is positioned over the drainage tube opening 35 through which the macerated material is removed. The top 34 may be provided with a series of small openings, as is illustrated in Figure 2, to provide proper fluid circulation. The cutting blade 25 may be provided with a single cutting edge or if it is desired to have a cutting edge which may be reversed, the blade 25 may have double cutting edges.

Garbage which is deposited and macerated within the container 2 is removed through the drainage tube 40 which is attached to the container 2 over the drainage located in the container.

hole 35 by suitable means, which may, if desired, comprise a collar 42 rotatably secured to 'the end of the drainage tube 40 and internally threaded with the nipple 44 correspondingly threaded externally and adapted to secure the collar 42. This drainage tube 40 is preferably made of a flexible material such as polyethylene and should be of suflicient length to extend to the drain in a sink. When used with a conventional sink, the suction cup cover element 45 which is positioned near the free end of the tube 40 secures the tube end 46 in the drain of the sink; thus, preventing the accidental drainage of the rnacerated material into the sink. In order to provide an improved maceration of the garbage, water is supplied continuously to the interior of the container 2 through the flexible tube 50 which may be made of any suitable flexible material, such as polyethylene. The water supply tube 50 is secured to the upper end of the container by suitable means which may comprise a nipple 52 fixed at one end over an opening in the container 2 and threaded at its other end. A freely rotatable nut 51 secured to the end of the tube 50 is adapted to fit over and tighten onto the nipple 52. The other end of the tube 50 is flared outwardly at 54 with an opening at that end adapted to receive a conventional water tap 55. The interior opening of the flared end 54 should be provided with a series of flanges or ridges adapted to grip the tap and adapt the flared end 54 to taps of different sizes and shapes. This flared end 54 should, therefore, be somewhat flexible and resilient in nature. Spring members 56 and 57 may be provided to prevent excessive bending and wear on the ends of the tube 50. A section of tubing 58 forming a portion of a helix, as is illustrated in Figure 2, extends from the opening over which the nipple 52 is secured to a position 59 centerally This narrow tube 58 which is secured preferably along its entire length to the inner wall of the container 2 imparts a circular or rotating motion to the water supplied to the interior of the container and thereby facilitates the agitation of the garbage.

contained within the container 2 during the macerating process.

A stand or support 60 is permanently secured to the bottom wall 16 of the container 2. This stand 60 is formed of a continuous downwardly extending flange having a contour as illustrated at 62 in Figure 5. The upwardly projecting fingers engage the outer surface of the flange forming the stand 60 at points 61 and secure the container in this upright position with the shaft 8 interlocked with the shaft 19, thereby providing a drive source for the propeller 25 during the macerating action. A pair of locking elements 66 are provided on either side of the base 1 and are adapted to engage tongues 67 projecting outwardly from the stand 60. These locking elements 66 comprise essentially a ring 68 pivotally mounted on a shaft 70 in turn pivotally mounted on a second shaft, not shown, at a short distance from the first-mentioned pivoted location. This type of lock element is conventional and is utilized in connection with the container 2 to assure a proper locking of the container 2 onto the base 1 during the operation of the device.

A modification of the invention is illustrated in Figure 3, where like numbers refer to elements corresponding with those illustrated in Figure 1. In this modification, the water supply tube 80 is rigidly secured to the container 2 at its upper end by suitable means, such as a locking collar 81, this tube 80 extends downwardly substantially parallel to the side wall of the container 2 and is secured thereto in fixed relation by suitable clips as illustrated at 83. The lower end of this tube is flared presenting a wider mouth 84 than the main body portion of the tube 39. A resilient gasket element 85 is fixed to the edge of this mouth 84 and is adapted to receive a second lower extension in a relatively water-tight fitting.

The drainage tube 88 formed of a rigid material is secured in fixed relation to the container 2 by suitable means such as the locking collar or nut 89 threaded internally to the nipple 90 and the end of the tube 88. The lower end of the tube 88, which is projected downwardly to a position just above the lowermost level of the container 2 as is the tube 80, is adapted to fit into a second tube extension 91. The tube extension 91 and the tube extension 92 are mounted on a collar 93. This collar 93 is flexible being made preferably of a flexible metal material and is adopted to be secured around the base 1 at the section 95 illustrated in Figure 1. The collar 93 is adapted to have its free ends 98 and 99 removably secured together by a suitable means, such as the bolt and nut elements 100' which project through outwardly extending flanges at the free ends of this collar 93. The upper section 100 and 101 of the tubes 91 and 92 respectively are formed of a rigid material, such as metal, and are secured relative to the collar 93 in a fixed relationship; thus when the collar 93 is fitted and secured around the base 1, these upwardly extending sections 100 and 101 are maintained in an upright fixed relationship with one another. The tube section 100 has a diameter greater than that of tube section 101 and is provided with a resilient ring 103 about its upper end. The open-ended diameters of these sections 100 and 101 are adapted to receive the tubes 88 and 80 in a relatively tight joint; thus providing not only a water-tight connection between the respective tube sections, but also a supporting and locking means for the container 2 with respect to the base 1. The free ends of the tubes 91 and 92 may be similar to the free ends of tubes 40 and 59 respectively, illustrated in Figure 1.

Thus the container as illustrated in Figure 3 may be removed from and replaced on the base without the requirement of carrying with it long tubes such as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 which might otherwise cause objection because of the awkwardness of the handling of the unit. When the container 2 is filled with garbage and it is desired to place it on the base 1, it may be readily fitted onto the base 1 and the tubes 88 and 80 fitted respectively into the tube sections 100 and 101 in a relatively water-tight relationship As it is often desirable to position a small container for garbage in-a sink to receive the garbage immediately upon cleaning of dishes and pots and pans, a small stand preferably formed of a plastic material to prevent scratching of the sink by the metallic container 2 is provided and is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. This container preferably has a bottom with two continuously upwardly extending flanges 111 and 112 concentric with one another. The enclosing flange 111 is adapted to fit around and secure the stand 60, while the flange 112 is adapted to enclose the open ends of the tubes 88 and 80 and to receive any occasional liquid which might pass through the open ends of these tubes.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A portable garbage disposal unit comprising a container having a generally cylindrical side wall and a flat bottom wall, a shaft mounted in and extending upwardly through the bottom wall, an impeller mounted on the upper end of the shaft within the container and adjacent the bottom wall, an opening formed at the lower end of the side wall, a substantially vertical baflle plate disposed in front of the opening in the container with its side edges secured to the side wall of the container, the bottom edge of the baffle plate being spaced from the side wall of the container and providing access from the container to the opening, the bottom edge of the bafile plate lying substantially in the plane of the impeller, a perforated plate secured between the top edge of the baffie plate and the side of the container providing limited access to the opening from above the baflie, a second opening formed adjacent the top of the side wall, means for directing water to the opening into the container, at base supporting the container, a motor disposed in the base, a shaft driven by the motor and engaging the lower end of the shaft in the bottom Wall of the container whereby the motor drives the impeller, and means for carrying disposable material directed through the opening behind the bafile to a drain.

2. A portable garbage disposal unit comprising a container having a generally cylindrical side wall and a flat bottom wall, a shaft mounted in and extending through the bottom wall, an impeller mounted on the upper end of the shaft Within the container and adjacent the bottom Wall, said impeller having a plurality of blades disposed in planes parallel to the bottom wall of the container and with some of the blades lying in a plane above other of the blades, an opening formed at the lower end of the cylindrical side wall substantially in the plane of the upper blades of the impeller, a substantially vertical baffle plate disposed in front of said opening in the container with its side edges secured to the side wall of the container, the bottom edge of the baffle being disposed intermediate the planes of the several impeller blades and spaced from the side wall of the container providing access from the container to the opening, means secured to the upper edge of the bafile plate providing limited access to the opening from the top of the baffle, a second opening formed adjacent the top of the side Wall, a duct secured in the container to the second opening and extending about the inner surface of the side wall of the container, means for directing Water to the opening whereby it will pass through the duct and circulate in the container, a base supporting the container, a motor disposed in the base, a shaft driven by the motor and engaging the lower end of the shaft in the bottom of the container whereby the motor drives the impeller, and a duct secured to the opening at the bottom of the side wall of the container and adapted to carry material from the container to a drain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,927,184 Poplawski Sept. 19, 1933 2,624,515 Brown Jan. 6, 1953 2,627,075 Benson Feb. 3, 1953 2,629,558 Miller Feb. 24, 1953 2,753,121 Elfenbein July 3, 1956 2,766,942 Lockley Oct. 16, 1956 2,788,038 Corcoran Apr. 9, 1957 

